Cuomo Says Gun-Control Measures Will Likely Wait Until 2013

Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Wednesday said he’s gauging lawmakers’ interest in placing stricter controls on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, signaling he will unveil a package of legislation in his upcoming State of the State address.

“We are talking to the Legislature about putting together a package on guns, gun control — call it what you want,” Cuomo said. “We’re spending some time having discussions because many of the other issues we’re talking about in the State of the State, we’ve already talked about. I know where they are.”

When asked if the Legislature would be called back to Albany to take up gun-control measures before the end of the year, Cuomo said: “I highly doubt it.”

“The only thing that’s going to happen in the next few days is Christmas,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo, who said he owns a shotgun, again spoke out about the state’s assault-weapons ban, which includes a number of exemptions. High-capacity magazines, for example, are legal if they were purchased before 1994 — which causes problems because many don’t have serial numbers or identifying information about when they were manufactured, Cuomo said.

“Obviously it’s a very hot topic of conversation and obviously there’s a tremendous desire of the people of the state and the people of the country to get something done,” Cuomo said.